Olympus PEN-F versus Leica CL

The Olympus PEN-F and the Leica CL (Typ 7323) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively,
in January 2016 and November 2017. Both the PEN-F and the CL are mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (PEN-F) and an APS-C sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 20.2 megapixel, whereas the Leica provides 24.1 MP.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Olympus PEN-F and the Leica CL are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter. You can also use the toggle button to switch to a percentage comparison if you prefer that the measures are being expressed in relative terms (in this case, the camera on the left – the PEN-F – represents the basis or 100 percent across all the size and weight measures).

Body view (PEN-F on the left)

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Leica CL is notably larger (14 percent) than the Olympus PEN-F. However, the CL is markedly lighter (6 percent) than the PEN-F. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the PEN-F nor the CL are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses
that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study the specifications of available lenses
in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside
a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another
camera pair, just select a new right or left comparator from among the camera models in the table.
Alternatively, you can also move across to the CAM-parator tool and
choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The PEN-F was launched at a markedly lower price (by 57 percent) than the CL, which puts it into a different market segment.
Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available.
Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting
and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be
found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus PEN-F features a Four Thirds sensor and the Leica CL
an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the CL is 65 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.5. The sensor in the PEN-F has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the CL offers a 3:2 aspect.

Sensor size

With 24.1MP, the CL offers a higher
resolution than the PEN-F (20.2MP), but the CL nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of
3.92μm versus 3.34μm for the PEN-F) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the CL is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 9 months) than the PEN-F, and its sensor
might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

Unlike the CL, the PEN-F has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (40MP) by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

Sensor resolution

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the CL provides a better video resolution than the PEN-F. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The PEN-F and the CL are similar in the sense that both feature an electronic viewfinder, which is helpful when framing images in bright sunlight.
Moreover, their viewfinders offer an identical resolution of 2360k dots. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus PEN-F and Leica CL in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras. If needed, the dpreview camera hub, for example, contains further detail on the cameras' specs.

Both the PEN-F and the CL are current models that good online retailers will have in stock. You can check the latest prices, for example,
at amazon. Neither of the two has a direct predecessor, so perhaps they will constitute the origins of new camera lines for Olympus and Leica.

Summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus PEN-F and the Olympus PEN-F? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Olympus PEN-F:

High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.

More flexible LCD: Has swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.

More compact: Is smaller (125x72mm vs 131x78mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.

Longer lasting: Can take more shots (330 versus 220) on a single battery charge.

Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization build-in.

More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (57 percent cheaper at launch).

More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2016).

Reasons to prefer the Leica CL (Typ 7323):

More detail: Has more megapixels (24.1 vs 20.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 12%.

Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.

Easier setting verification: Has a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.

More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.

More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 9 months) more recently.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the PEN-F comes out slightly ahead of the CL (7 : 6 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points.

PEN-F 07:06 CL

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the PEN-F and the CL in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate. This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites. The detailed reviews can be accessed, respectively, on the websites of cameralabs.com, dpreview.com, ephotozine.com, imaging-resource.com, and photographyblog.com.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Other comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just make your choice using the following search menu. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored. If the camera you are interested in is not available, please contact me, and I will try to add information on that model to the database.